Post by timbo on Jan 7, 2014 20:37:09 GMT

Post by Alpine Joe on Jan 9, 2014 0:04:40 GMT

Another really interesting programme, kindly made possible for us to read by Timbo. Thinking there were a few exceptions such as John Charles, Dennis Law, Gerry Hitchens etc, I'd mistakenly thought not too many from the British Isles had ventured abroad to have anything to do with football until the 1970's. It's only through learning more about some obscure characters mentioned in these old programmes, that I am constantly being surprised by just how many of them went far from the shores of Britain 'for football reasons' long before what I consider to be modern times.

Neil McBain, the manager of Watford at the time of this match programme being one such person. His Wiki entry tells us that 10 years earlier ' In August 1949, McBain left Orient to manage Argentine side Estudiantes de La Plata'.

The only reason I checked on the Watford manager, was out of sympathy for him, having read the comments provided by His Worship The Mayor as 'The Voice Of Watford'.

With Watford clearly struggling as McBain acknowledges, he could have done without the Mayor's clearly pointed observations about 'the style of play should never be so unorthodox that it deceives the team more than it does the opposition', before finishing his piece with another barbed comment 'For Watford Football Club may 1959 be a year of surprising success'.

Had I been in McBain's shoes I'm sure the temptation to seek out Councillor R.W Gamble J.P., A.C.I.S and throttle him with his own mayoral chain would have been very hard to resist.

Within the Watford team is a name I remember mostly in football terms for his managerial reign at Wolves

But in his playing days Sammy (disappointing as it is to learn his real name was Cyril) was a real Watford stalwart, clocking up 220 appearances for them. Although we're a bit biased down here in the South West and assume that the highlight for Sammy must have come much later when he joined the coaching staff of Minehead in 2005, but for much of the rest of the world they'll think it was getting his name mentioned in a 1974 Number One Hit record:

'He played for Reading, Norwich City and most notably Watford, where he made over 200 appearances between 1957 and 1965. His spell with the club earned a mention in the hit single Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas, a notable Hornets fan'.

Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2014 16:32:27 GMT

Neil McBain, the manager of Watford at the time of this match programme being one such person. His Wiki entry tells us that 10 years earlier 'In August 1949, McBain left Orient to manage Argentine side Estudiantes de La Plata'.

Estudiantes de La Plata? That's a name to raise me from my slumbers. Exponents of some of football's darkest arts c1968. I trust El Mc had moved on before that particular slump towards global notoriety. Mind you, I spent many a happy hour masquerading as Estudiantes flicking Manchester United off the Subutteo table and on to our Cyril Lord "Enkalon" (registered trade mark) carpet.

McBain's other claim to fame? Why, wasn't he the oldest player ever to play in a Football League game? As an emergency 'keeper when he was a distinctly middle-aged manager of New Brighton.

Meanwhile a belated welcome from beyond the Trent to Chris Hargreaves. There appear to be one or two misgivings in this neck of the woods but I'm definitely warming to the idea and look forward to being at Wimbledon on Saturday.

Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2014 17:29:55 GMT

Vicarage Road, Watford is largely a mystery to me. I've been there twice, each time to see Torquay United. Once on an Easter glue pot in the late 1970s; the other time in the mid 1990s for a cup replay played on a bitterly cold night.

I guess most of our visits were in Division 3 (South) days. And isn't there something wonderfully 1950s about a couple called Ted and Vi running a pub and serving up the Benskins? (and how about a spivvy club tie from Peter Spivey?). Next you'll be telling me there were allotments next to Vicarage Road. Dig for victory, lads, dig for victory!